“ … The leader of a victimized race after fighting a valiant fight standing shoulder to shoulder together with his brave comrades died on his feet- a soldiers death, a death that will be remembered for generations …”

Can this be said of Prabakharan?

Well, first of all, is he the leader of a victimized race?
Are Tamils really victimized in Sri Lanka?

Let’s see: can a Tamil enter a University in the South without any discrimination? Can a Tamil get a job in the government service? Can a Tamil walk on the street of southern Sri Lanka amongst Sinhalease and feel safe?

I live in Colombo, and I see Tamils doing all that!

Did Prabakharan stand shoulder-to-shoulder together with his brave comrades and fight?

He most certainly did not!

He hid in his underground luxury bunker and asked the children of his “Eealm” to do the fighting. He asked teenagers to strap explosives on themselves and go blow-up the Sinhalease.

Prabakharan didn’t sacrifices anything for Ealam- he just got others to do the sacrificing for him. Meanwhile, he munched his way through the finest desserts of “Ealam” to the biggest pot belly that a “rebel leader” ever owned.

Prabakharan could have accomplished a hero’s death; if only he had freed all the civilians that he held as hostages.

If only he had announced that his bloody armed struggle for “Ealam” had finally failed in Sri Lanka and requested the Sri Lankan government to grant amnesty to his remaining fighters.

If only he had asked for forgiveness from the Sinhalease and Muslims for all the massacres that he engineered.

If only he had asked for the forgiveness from the Sri Lankan Tamils for failing them and for the lost generations of Tamils that he consumed in his failed attempt at “Ealam”.

He could have had a hero’s death. He certainly could have had a hero’s death if after his announcement he had put a pistol to the side of his head and shot himself- a soldier’s death.

A honorable death.

But he did none of that.

He chose to hole up underground like a rat and surround himself with hundreds of his loyal but misguided, yet brave fighters of Ealam.

He let them, these battle hardened fighters waste away so that he can prolong his miserable existence on his fantasy “Ealam.

To the very end, he betrayed the Tamil race.

So will he be remembered for generations?

Yes. That at least he have accomplished.

But alas, so has Hitler.

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The Lakbima Blog

A voice of rationality from Sri Lanka, a chronicle of the trials and triumphs of our little country as we strive to pass through these trying times.